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Mulled Wine Recipe

by | Jan 4, 2016 | Food, Recipes

Perfect for a snowy day – Mulled Wine.

Mulled wine is a winter tradition popular around the world, especially during Halloween and Christmas. In Scandinavia, it is called glögg (pronounced “glug”), which simply means “heated up.” In Germany, it is known as Glühwein, “glow[ing] wine.” In Poland, it is grzane wino or “heated wine,” and in Italy, vin brulé, “burnt wine.” The French and the Spanish call it vin chaud and vino caliente, respectively—both terms mean “hot wine.”

Mulled wine is heated wine to which various spices have been added. It is usually sweetened with sugar and often a spirit, usually Brandy, is added. The ingredients added to the wine vary from country to country, but mulled wine almost always starts with a red wine base, usually one that is full-bodied and fruity. For traditional Christmas mulled wine, flavors of orange, cinnamon, and cloves predominate. Other spices such as nutmeg, vanilla, ginger, peppercorn, cardamom, and anise are also commonly used.

A version of mulled wine poplar in Medieval Europe was called Potus Ypocras. Legend has it that this name was in honor of the Greek physician Hippocrates who made medicinal remedies using wine, herbs and honey. By the 17th century, recipes for mulled wine became more complex and unique to specific geographic regions. The French liked using apples and almonds. The British typically favored Bordeaux with orange peel and cinnamon, though they sometimes added brandy and milk. Scandinavian recipes called for raisins, bitters, and blanched almonds. Swedish glögg became more of a punch, with brandy or sherry added. In Spain, Potus Ypocras inspired the creation of the warm-weather beverage sangria—red wine was brewed with ginger, cinnamon, pepper, and fruit, and then it was chilled and served cold. Today, North American versions of mulled wine frequently substitute cranberries and brown sugar for the traditional orange and honey ingredients in European recipes.

mulled-wine-recipe

 

Here is a great recipe for mulled wine, courtesy of Gimme some Oven

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 (750 ml) bottle of dry red wine (we suggest Pinot Noir)
  • 1 orange, sliced into rounds
  • 1/4 cup brandy (optional)
  • 1/4 cup honey or sugar
  • 8 whole cloves
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 2 star anise
  • optional garnishes: citrus slices (orange, lemon and/or lime), extra cinnamon sticks, extra star anise

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients in a non-aluminum saucepan, and bring to a simmer (not a boil — you don’t want to boil the alcohol out!) over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat to medium-low, and let the wine simmer for at least 15 minutes or up to 3 hours. Strain, and serve warm with your desired garnishes.

*You can also place the oranges, cloves, cinnamon, and star anise in a cheesecloth. Then simply strain and pull out the bundle when ready to serve.

Enjoy!

 

 

Recipe: French Onion Soup

by | Dec 15, 2015 | Food, Recipes | 2 comments

As the weather cools, French onion soup always hits the spot. This dish from All Recipes is so simple, but so good, especially if you use a rich and flavorful stock, the sweetest of slow cooked onions, a thick piece of crusty bread, and good-quality nutty Gruyere. Pairing soup with wine can be a bit tricky and it’s a bit counterintuitive to match liquid with liquid, but believe me, a good glass of wine makes this meal even better.

French Onion Soup Gratinee

INGREDIENTS:

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large red onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 (48 fluid ounce) can chicken broth
  • 1 (14 ounce) can beef broth
  • 1/2 cup  Helvetia Pinot Noir
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 sprigs fresh parsley
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

GRATINEE GARNISH:

  • 4 thick slices French or Italian bread
  • 8 slices Gruyere or Swiss cheese slices, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup shredded Asiago or mozzarella cheese, room temperature
french onion gratin soup

French Onion Soup is perfectly paired with a glass of Pinot Noir to warm up a cold winter’s night.

PREPARATION:

  1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir in salt, red onions and sweet onions. Cook 35 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are caramelized and almost syrupy.
  2. Mix chicken broth, beef broth, red wine and Worcestershire sauce into pot. Bundle the parsley, thyme, and bay leaf with twine and place in pot. Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and discard the herbs. Reduce the heat to low, mix in vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep over low heat to stay hot while you prepare the bread.
  3. Preheat oven broiler. Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet and broil 3 minutes, turning once, until well toasted on both sides. Remove from heat; do not turn off broiler.
  4. Arrange 4 large oven safe bowls or crocks on a rimmed baking sheet. Fill each bowl 2/3 full with hot soup. Top each bowl with 1 slice toasted bread, 2 slice Gruyere cheese and 1/4 of the Asiago or mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle a little bit of paprika over the top of each one.
  5. Broil 5 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown. As it softens, the cheese will cascade over the sides of the crock and form a beautifully melted crusty seal. Serve immediately!

Depending on the depth and meatiness of the stock you use in this soup, you could go with wines of varying weight.  Hevletia Winery Pinot Noir captures the middle ground, and this 2010 vintage’s deep plum and berry fruit as well as a touch of smoke and lush texture to match the soup.

 

Enjoy!

 

Cranberry Sauce with Pinot Noir

by | Nov 24, 2015 | Food, Recipes

A fresh take on a Thanksgiving tradition. Asian and Indian influences turn ordinary cranberry sauce into something special. This northwestern classic highlights cranberries with pinot noir, curry and ginger.

refashioned from epicurius

YIELD: 2 1/2 cups

 

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 cups raw cranberries
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
  • 2 cups Helvetia Pinot Noir (2014 vintage used here)
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 3 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

 

PREPARATION

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cranberries and fresh ginger; strir until cranberries begin to burst, about 3 minutes. Add wine and sugar; boil until mixture is reduced to 2 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Add crystallized ginger, curry powder and five-spice powder. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover;chill.) Serve sauce cold.